Advice/Help Specific pieces of info do you look for in a search thread!

I typically look for genre and whether it's plot based. Sometimes I'll join a RP that doesn't really revolve around a certain plot point, but the setting has to be damn good to get me into it. Romance kind of makes it easier for me (since I'm sappy af) but at the same time, I can't do a RP that's pretty much only romance, since it's better as a naturally occurring subplot. But those are just a couple things for me.

Genre (or fandoms) first, I look for people who like similar genres (or fandoms) so I can pitch them my prompts and ideas.

Second I look for people who are open to platonic relationships or at least non-traditional romances.

Thirdly I look at post schedules, just to make sure I can keep up with their requests.

Plots: I love when there are not only pairings somewhat similar to mine but the request thread has plots available open for more brainstorming.

Posting Frequency: Only for reasons to see if it matches my own availability. I can't for the life of me reply every day.

Open to play different characters: I look to see if a person will play not only just female characters but males too instead of strictly just one gender.

A welcoming tone of the request thread: Just a general tone of searching for new partners instead of laying out a bunch of rules where it is the topic starter's way or the highway.

Cool Factor
They gotta be cool, you know. If the daily talk's something like a chinese puzzle, I might as'll turn myself into a walking gordian knot. Haha. It's flippin weird sometimes, when the guy's all bones, no meat—I'm like, wah? But I guess that applies oan me too. . .

Plot Integrity
Ah, pairings and the art of romantic fabulation. Make up or get shipped out, hah! Woah, woah, woah, spiralling down there. Wazzin't supposed to be a story something-something. No, man, don't, don't!

Do Or Die
_YYYYo, man, like, gotta ave fun amirite? I cannit (can it?) write my ninety-niner lives away in a single day, man!

Maximalism
I write thousands of characters. Thousands! Thaz the only way to make a post good, big and fat without slipping off the edge! is what I sez, and, man, it's assembly bizness for me to write long pieces. A guy's gotta what they's gotta do and I'd preciate if they's did what I do too.

Mondo Evile
At the end of the day, it's all cool, you know. I look at this guy and if he's free and everything and if he's looking to ave some fun—thaz nice. Juz see writing's as it is, prose, words, fiction, and everything. Non fiction tae if you do your homework.

First is themes/genres/plots and fandoms to see if there is something that matches with what I would like to rp at a given time or if I generally like any of them. Because if there is nothing in common with what I like it's pointless to read the rest of the thread.

Then everything else:

• Specific requirements. If there are any at all, and if there are - if they are something I can work with. This includes things like gender preference, pairings, types of romance or even something that a person may look for in rp partner etc.
• Reply schedule. I'm looking for something that would match with my availability. If I see things like "frequent or daily replies" or worse, "multiple replies per day" I close the thread without reading the rest.
• Age. I'm looking for older people to rp with.
• Overall tone. I would prefer if the person seems friendly from the start. It's hard to gauge, and I'm looking at this more subconsciously than looking for any specific signs, but it's still there.

Hmm, the five things I look for...

Genres/fandoms. It's the first thing I skim the thread to look for. If we share nothing in common, why RP together? After I'm done skimming to look for this, then I start to look for other stuff.
Post requirements. Generally (but not always) the second thing I look for. If they want one-liners, or multiple posts in a day, then that's a no for me.
Romance preferences. This is a big deal for me; it can make or break a search thread. I don't often like romance in the first place, so if they want really sappy romance or something, I'll leave.
Overall feel. How comfortable does this person make me feel? Do they seem way too strict? That makes me feel anxious, so I don't want to RP with someone like that.
Faceclaim preferences. I don't care what types of faceclaims other people use, or I'm okay with them using none at all. Just as long as they're okay with me using non-realistic FCs. (Kiiind of a big deal for me since I love to draw my OCs.)

1.Interests
I think this first one's pretty obvious, but worth mentioning nonetheless: I will not care for an interest check which does not have anything enticing for me. Something I would be interested in roleplaying. Now, beyond being innitially attracted to the idea, I must also see potential in the idea, this is, fundamentally believe that the idea is sustainable in the long term. If I think it is overly relying on hype, trying to reproduce something without accounting for what made it work, or just a plot that is a premise but doesn't have a proper hope of developing, I won't be enticed.
Still, for the most part, one can't really help whether I see their ideas as sustainable or enticing. They can, however, make sure they properly sell their idea. Nomatter how amazing your roleplay, if you give me a dull part to fit in, or worse, then I'm not going to want in.

2.My Style (bundle)
Now when I say "my style", I mean the whole bundle of criteria that compose my roleplaying style. Anime faceclaims, allowing first person roleplaying, not wanting cannon characters or prebuild OCs, wanting to roleplay on threads (or being willing to at least). It takes a whole lot out of me to negotiate out of any of these, so I generally just don't.

3.Post Requirements
Since they are pretty individually important and complex, I decided to leave these separate from "my style". Basically, I am a high-end detailed roleplayer (or so it seems), so generally look for large posting requirements that are more flexible in reply time. I can guarantee you a quality lengthy post, but I can't stand being rushed about it. Same in reverse: I can wait for months if I have to, but I won't stay on a roleplay if I feel the replies are too lacking in substance.

4.Mood
A surprising deal breaker, but I'm rarely one for dark or gritty moods. I love light-hearted RPs, be they the heart-warming kind or the comedy kind and while I do add drama and conflict to my characters and plots, and can certainly explore it, it just makes me feel bad when that's the whole mood of the story, not in a good way mind you.

5.Priorities
What concepts are heavily expanded upon? What things keep getting repeated? what did the GM choose to talk about and leave out? What questions do they develop more on? These are a few of the indications of where someone's heart lies regarding what's important. In some cases its pretty harmless. Others, it may lead to the players being bored because they want to explore totally different aspects of the plot or setting. And in the worst cases, it can spot a tyrant GM or Mary Sue characters in the making (example: if your plot description is entirely about a certain character 9/10 times that character steals all the spotlight if they are allowed to exist).

6.Personal Issues
These come in many forms. Certainly the most agreeable is that if someone has too arrogant or rude an attitude, then I would prefer to avoid them. However, I also prefer to avoid people who seem too politically charged, especially if that political charge is one I am worried about.

One more type worth mentioning is overly specific matters being adressed in characters or plots. A very common form is when someone dumps this extremely specific mental disorder. This immediately tells me that person has that disorder, wants to roleplay about it as an outlet, and will get upset at the slightest misrepresentation, misunderstanding or innacuracy. Often anything bad about their character will be dismissed as an attack or as "justified by their disease". I'll stop here before I go into too much of a rant, but you get the idea.

So overall, if I think I can't get along with them, I won't persue further.

7.Passion
Last but definitely not least, passion. I need to feel like you're genuinely invested and that you are someone with a little fire in you. You don't need to be charming or outspoken, but I want to see a little personality in those interest checks, something to make them more than a poorly conceived shopping list. This is the vaguest thing I look at, but it is rather crucial to me that my partners are invested. Otherwise, there's no point.



A note about links: if you have links in your interest check, I WILL NOT click on them as part of checking out your interest check.

My eyes jump to rules and requirements immediately. I am very demanding and I don’t want to bother with reading the rest of the thread if our preferences don’t match.